A MINISTER has allegedly called for the Government to oust religious education and ban Christianity from schools, in a move that could threaten British culture according to experts.

Huw Lewis, Welsh Minister for Education and Skills, reportedly called for the banning to help schools rise to the challenges of "community cohesion" and "extremism".

Addressing the Welsh Parliament, Mr Lewis said: "My contention would be that we rename the curriculum and transform it into the religion, philosophy and ethics element of the curriculum."

Mr Lewis believes the reform would create an "explicit commitment to allowing children to ponder ideas around ethics and citizenship and what it means to be a citizen of a free country”.

His comments echo an independent review of the Welsh curriculum by Professor Graham Donaldson - a former chief inspector of schools - who urged that pupils should be "ethical, informed citizens of the world".

Welsh Assembly

Mr Lewis believes the reforms will encourage free-thinking amongst children

You can’t understand any important aspect of Western civilisation – whether it be art, culture, music, religious institution or politics – without understanding Christianity

Chris McGovern

In June, a report examining the role of religion in the English curriculum recommended that daily acts of "predominantly Christian" worship should be scrapped - while all religious instruction should be made during pupils' spare time at home.

But chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, Chris McGovern, warned the calls to remove Christianity will threaten Western culture.

Mr McGovern, who once advised former Education Minister Michael Gove on education reform, said: “Christianity has a place in every school.

"You can’t understand any important aspect of Western civilisation – whether it be art, culture, music, religious institution or politics – without understanding Christianity.

"It is fundamental, it defines our society and it is our national religion. If you take away Christianity, you are taking away the national memory. And that is an illness.”

Mr McGovern said that it is imperative for everyone - including pupils from minority cultures and who are not practising Christians - to be taught about Christianity.

He said: "I think they may have made the connection simply because, for some minority groups who do not claim to be Christian, they think they do not need to be taught about Christianity.

"In fact, the contrary is true. Since Christianity defines our society it is a way on integrating youngsters into British society."

He warned that the new school agenda encouraged by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has the potential to promote extremism.

He said: "One of the values schools are now obliged to promote is the doctrine of tolerance for all ideas, and accepting the point of view of anyone you might disagree with.

"Teachers are discussing extremist values on a level plain field with what you might call more reasonable points of view.

“I’ve seen it myself in schools. It is dangerous; it offers children no real moral guidance and can actually serve promote the extremism and lack of community cohesion which the government wants to tackle in the first place."